AAC Publications

Jezebel (East Summit), East Face, Fun or FearAlaska, Alaska Range, Revelation Mountains

Uisdean Hawthorn and I flew into the Revelations on March 23. We landed on the Fish Creek Glacier,almost directly below the east face of Jezebel (9,620’). Our main objective was the unclimbed northface, an impressively steep, 1,200m wall, but we were unable to land below it due to the boulder-strewn nature of the glacier. In preparation, we stashed all our climbing kit at the peak’s northeast colwhile waiting to make an attempt.

After a couple of days of mixed weather, during which time we built a ski jump above base camp andmade use of the excellent skiing conditions, we received a good forecast. We skied back to thenortheast col and descended to the north face. We had scoped the face and concluded there wasonly one safe line—the entire rest of the face is threatened by enormous seracs. Though we wereslightly concerned about cornices above our line, they didn’t look too big.

On March 31, we climbed eight pitches and 350m up our intended line, onsight and all free. Twoattempts in 2017 on a nearby line had reported vertical, unprotectable sugar snow, but luckily wefound steep névé. Protection was sparse, however, and pitches often involved moving together until abelay was reached. Pitch two was 60m with no gear, and pitch three was 75m until a poor belay.

After our eighth pitch we reached the main feature of the line—a large chimney likely several pitcheslong—but heavy waves of spindrift now washed down the cliff and chimney. The first section wasblack diorite rock, bizarrely compact yet chossy, and with overhanging steps. After this we could see60m of overhanging sugar snow. The spindrift avalanches flew right over the lip of the sugar snowinto space. There appeared to be no way to bypass this pitch and no way to tunnel up through thesugary snow. Furthermore, a large snow mushroom sat right at the top of the chimney. We had knownabout this mushroom from the outset but were now very aware of it.

Due to the conditions, we chose to descend from atop our eighth pitch, so we can’t be absolutelycertain the pitch is “unclimbable.” To us, though, it looked unclimbable by fair, safe, or rational meansand we were bitterly disappointed. We had hoped for a Dru Couloir Direct–style pitch, or at least somecracks on which to aid around. We rapped back to the glacier, leaving wires as anchors.

After a few days of rest we decided to focus our attention on the east face of Jezebel's east summit,as we didn’t think the conditions would improve on our intended north face line. After one false startdue to unexpected snowfall on April 5, we launched the next day. We decided to try a line to the left ofHoar of Babylon (Graham-Silvestre, 2015, see AAJ 2016).

On April 6 we started with six steep névé and mixed pitches, which maintained interest and just aboutavoided the sunshine as it came round onto the east face. We climbed in blocks of three leads,following the obvious couloir feature.

We then climbed about another six pitches of steep ice and mixed, before following a couloir for200m to reach the east ridge. We followed this until nightfall, and then flattened out a bivy beneaththe large final tower. From the bivy site, we did more ridge traversing to a moderate mixed pitch. Weunroped here and climbed 150m to the peak's eastern summit, arriving at 12:30 p.m. This ascent wasvery satisfying and involved some technical climbing, thankfully mostly at the start of the route.

We descended our route up the east ridge to a col, then made three rappels on rock gear, leavingwires, and downclimbed and walked down easy terrain in the broad, open couloir on the southface.The problem was how to get back to the east face and the Fish Creek Glacier. From the couloirwe had to climb four 60m pitches up the left side of the col between the east and south faces, andthen made three rappels, one 60m downclimb on snow, and then a final rap to reach the Fish CreekGlacier and wal to our skis. We named our route Fun or Fear (1,200m, M6+ AI6 R 90˚).

After a rest day we got an updated weather forecast. With 10 days left before our international flightand no major weather window in sight, we called in TAT, who picked us up the next day.

– Tom Livingstone, U.K.

Images

Tom Livingstone approaching the east face of Jezebel in Alaska’s Revelation Mountains. The lowerportion of Fun or Fear (1,200m, M6+ AI6 R 90˚) follows the obvious ice couloir.

The unclimbed north face of Jezebel (9,620’) in the Revelation Mountains, showing the attempt madeby Tom Livingstone and Uisdean Hawthorn in spring 2018. Much of this impressive face is threatenedby massive hanging seracs above.

The lower east face of Jezebel (9,620’) in the Revelation Mountains. The lower portion of UisdeanHawthorn and Tom Livingstone’s new route, Fun or Fear (1,200m, M6+ AI6 R 90˚), is shown.

Uisdean Hawthorn leading on the upper section of Fun or Fear (1,200m, M6+ AI6 R 90˚) during thefirst ascent in April 2018. Portions of the upper route and the team’s bivy site are shown.

The col just east of the south face couloir on Jezebel (9,620’) in the Revelation Mountains. Afterdescending the couloir, Tom Livingstone and Uisdean Hawthorn climbed four pitches up this ridgeand descended the other side to return to their skis on the Fish Glacier below the east face.

Tom Livingstone holds the remaining rack after bailing from an attempt on the unclimbed north faceof Jezebel (9,620’) in Alaska’s Revelation Mountains.

Tom Livingstone in a moderate couloir on the east face of Jezebel (9,620’) during a reconnaissance.This line is somewhere between Hoar of Babylon (Graham-Silvestre, 2015) and the team’s new route,Fun or Fear (1,200m, M6+ AI6 R 90˚).

The east face of Jezebel (9,620’) in Alaska’s Revelation Mountains, showing the two routescompleted on the face: Fun or Fear (1,200m, M6+ AI6 R 90˚), Hawthorn-Livingstone, 2018) and Hoarof Babylon (1,200m, WI6 M6 A0, Graham-Silvestre, 2015).

Uisdean Hawthorn leading pitch two of Fun or Fear (1,200m, M6+ AI6 R 90˚) on the east face ofJezebel (9,620’) in Alaska’s Revelation Mountains. Hawthorn and Tom Livingston climbed this newroute over two days in early April 2018 after an attempt on the unclimbed north face of the peak.

Uisdean Hawthorn exiting the narrow mixed couloir that defines the lower portion of Fun or Fear(1,200m, M6+ AI6 R 90˚) on the east face of Jezebel in the Revelation Mountains. From the top of this

broad gully, Hawthorn and Tom Livingstone headed up the narrow cleft on the left.

Uisdean Hawthorn leading “The Gift” ice pitch during the first ascent of Fun or Fear (1,200m, M6+ AI6R 90˚) on the east face of Jezebel in the Revelation Mountains. From afar, he and Tom Livingstonethought this pitch was going to be horrendous, but it turned out to be pleasant and enjoyable iceclimbing.

Uisdean Hathorn following along the aesthetic south ridge of Jezebel’s east summit (9,450’) duringthe first ascent of Fun or Fear (1,200m, M6+ AI6 R 90˚).

Uisdean Hawthron soaking up the morning sun during the first ascent of Fun or Fear (1,200m, M6+AI6 R 90˚) on the east face of Jezebel in the Revelation Mountains.

Tom Livingstone (left) and Uisdean Hawthorn on the east summit of Jezebel (9,450’) in the RevelationMountains after making the first ascent of Fun or Fear (1,200m, M6+ AI6 R 90˚) on the mountain’seast face.

Uisdean Hawthorn on the first of four pitches the team climbed to return to the Fish Glacier from thesouth couloir of Jezebel (9,620’) after making the first ascent of Fun or Fear (1,200m, M6+ AI6 R 90˚)on the east face of the mountain’s east summit.

Sunset view from the bivy during the first ascent of Fun or Fear (1,200m, M6+ AI6 R 90˚) on the eastface of Jezebel (9,620’) in the Revelation Mountains.

Tom Livingstone coming up the summit ridge of Jezebel’s east summit (9,450’) after making the firstascent of Fun or Fear (1,200m, M6+ AI6 R 90˚) on the east face.

Tom Livingstone skiing beneath the east face of Jezebel (9,620’) during a recon of the face.

Uisdean Hawthorn climbing steep névé on his and Tom Livingstone’s attempt on the north face ofJezebel (9,620’). The two climbed eight pitches up the face before descending below an imposing

overhanging chimney devoid of climbable features.

Looking up from Uisdean Hawthorn and Tom Livingstone’s high point on the unclimbed north face ofJezebel (9,620’). This large slot chimney was pouring with spindrift, looked devoid of cracks andreliable protection, and featured strange compact yet chossy rock.

Tom Livingstone climbing steep, difficult-to-protect névé during his and Uisdean Hawthorn’s attempton the unclimbed north face of Jezebel (9,620’) in the Revelation Mountains.

Tom Livingstone leading up steep, difficult-to-protect névé during his and Uisdean Hawthorn’sattempt on the unclimbed north face of Jezebel (9,620’) in the Revelation Mountains.

Tom Livingstone leading the first pitch during his and Uisdean Hawthorn’s attempt on the unclimbednorth face of Jezebel (9,620’) in the Revelation Mountains.

Article Details

Author Tom Livingstone

Publication AAJ

Volume 61

Issue 93

Page 0

Copyright Date 2019

Article Type Climbs and expeditions